He is the former chairman of General Mills from 2008 to 2017, and chief executive officer (CEO) from 2007 to 2017.
[3] He subsequently held a variety of management positions at the company.
From 1999 to 2004, he was CEO of Cereal Partners Worldwide, a joint venture between General Mills and Nestlé.
In September 2007, Powell was appointed as General Mill's CEO,[6] then chairman of the board of directors in the following year.
[10] As CEO of General Mills in 2009, Powell received total compensation of $9,221,035, which included a base salary of $959,583, a cash bonus of $1,910,770, stocks granted of $3,720,566, options granted of $2,276,223, and other compensation of $353,893.